OOTP 21: May 18, 2020 – Dodgers 8, Phillies 5 – Mookie shines on his jersey day

Mookie Botts wasted no time getting the Los Angeles Dodgers on the board on what was supposed to be his jersey day at Dodger Stadium.

Driving in a pair of runs with a double off of Anibal Sanchez (I think?) in the first inning, Botts finished Monday’s 8-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies with four hits and a walk, as well as three runs and a stolen base.

The Dodgers (26-20) added one more run in the opening inning before the Phillies (24-23) started to battle back against a wild Julio Urias. A two-run homer for Rhys Hoskins in the third trimmed the lead down to 3-2 and a two-run single in the fifth by Didi Gregorius in the fifth pushed Philadelphia ahead.

Urias’ day came to an end there after 4 1/3 IP while allowing four runs on four hits and seven walks. While we are aware Alex Wood has struggled a bit in the rotation, Urias’ ERA of 4.53 is also not what the Dodgers would like to see.

Thankfully it didn’t matter as much today, as Corey Seager‘s two-out single in the fifth pushed Los Angeles right back in front. Sanchez didn’t fare much better than Urias, finishing with five runs allowed on six hits and four walks in 4 2/3 IP.

The Phillies’ bullpen didn’t slow the bleeding, with Steven Okert and Jose Alvarez immediately gave up a few more runs. Gavin Lux then cashed in a lead-off double by Joc Pederson in the sixth, and Will Smith’s two-run dong in the seventh added to the cushion.

“Winning the game is always the first objective,” Seager said. Unless of course you are simulation Caleb “Turd” Ferguson, who amazingly didn’t pitch in this game.

An eighth-inning triple by Deven Marrero resulted in a run off of Adam Kolarek, but otherwise the Dodgers bullpen held up well following Urias. Ross Stripling, Blake Treinen and Kenley Jansen each worked through scoreless appearances (though Jansen walked two in the ninth while earning his 12th save).

It’ll be Clayton Kershaw on the mound against Reggie McClain Tuesday, as the Dodgers look to string a few wins together at home after a tough week on the road.